A Chance For Redemption
by CelestialGeisha
Summary: What if Itsuki Tachibana miraculously survived his suicide and finds himself alive and well in the year 1956? Will he finally learn to accept his past and move on?
1. Prologue

Phew...I finally got things up and running again! To all the FF fans from Beyond The Camera's Lens forums, this is Kirie The Rope Miko. I got my awful pc problems straightened out and I was able to renew most of my accounts.

Anyway, I am back with a vengeance! Back to writing FF fics, oh joy!

Epilogue 

As I hear the sickening sound of a lock clicking, I know it is over.

I had failed yet again.

I sink to my knees on the dirty floor of the storehouse and bow my head in remorse. I can only hope that Sae and Yae made it out of the village safely. It will be the only consolation in this case to know that they are alive.

But I don't know anything for sure anymore. My world is just limited to the silence and darkness of this rather cramped storehouse. I have nothing here save for a few kimonos, my journal and probable false hopes.

From here, I can hear the villagers speaking in hushed, agitated voices. I try to listen, but it is futile. You can barely heat anything clearly from in here. If I could only get out of this cell and put my ear to the door, I would surely have more to tell you. But alas, things are not going my way.

Then I notice that small window in the corner. I approach it, just to get a small view of the outside world which I am no longer a part of now. I unlatch the rusty clasp holding the small doors together and carefully push them open. It opens to the small yard behind the storehouse, where I can see nothing but lush greenery and a statue with the Twin Shrine Maidens engraved on it. I refuse to look at it, since it reminds me of the cruel ritual almostevery twin in this village has to go through. I myself am a victim of this tragedy. A Remaining, as we are called.

And I do feel like a real Remaining now. I have no friends and family to turn to now.

Mutsuki…my brother. How can I ever beg for your forgiveness? I do believe I failed you twice already. I was not able to make you a butterfly and I think I may have broken the promise I made to you before I subjected you to such suffocating torture. A million apologies will never grant me redemption.

I walk away from the window for some place to rest comfortably…when I felt something brush against my shoulder. I look up to see a long rope, probably forgotten in here for quite some time. To you, it may just be an ordinary rope. But to me, it was escape, freedom and redemption all in one. If I end everything now, I won't have to suffer any more guilt. And Mutsuki may forgive me if I pay for everything with my life.

I move the small desk in the corner right under the rope. I climb on the desk and make a loop using the end of the rope. Slowly but surely, I slip it around my neck. I close my eyes, and kick the desk away. I feel the tightening of it around my neck and suddenly feel what my brother must have gone through. My breathing is getting more and more restricted as things around me start to blur.

And eventually…I feel nothing.

Author's note: I hope you liked it! It's only the beginning of the story, so stick around for more if you wish. Please don't forget to read and review because I appreciate those very much. Thank you.


	2. One: The Awakening

Kerrianne - : tackles with hugs : Glad you like it, girl! I'm going to try to update as much as I can for ya!

Chapter One: The Awakening

"He's coming to! Quick, someone get a glass of water!"

A pair of amethyst eyes opened to see blurs of color about him. When his vision finally cleared, he noticed many unfamiliar faces around him. He gingerly propped himself up to a sitting position.

"Take it easy, kid", a person in a white uniform said. "Judging from the situation we found you in, it was pretty obvious you were trying to kill yourself. Smart move to perform a suicide in some abandoned ruins, but we came here to investigate a disappearance".

"Wait", Itsuki Tachibana whispered, his throat parched. "I don't understand anything you're saying. What do you mean by 'ruins', sir? I'm extremely confused".

"Don't tell me something's gone wrong with your head, kiddo", the paramedic shook his head. "Just look around you. These are the ruins of Minakami Village. It was destroyed in some kind of plague or something like that. But hell, it's as barren as any other ruin would be".

Itsuki felt a chill travel down his spine. He stood up and looked around. People in white uniforms were all over the place with a lot of strange, machine-like things he could not identify. And even from where he was, he could see that the village was empty. The Tsuchihara House was reduced to ruins and the Osaka House looked ancient and abandoned. He was confused. What the hell was happening?

"Sir, what year is it?" he turned to the paramedic, his voice catching in his throat.

"Something's really wrong with you, kid", the paramedic eyed him. "But anyway, it's 1956".

_1956? But that's way into the future!_

Itsuki paled. Judging from his surroundings, what the man said was true. But why was he still alive? And what happened to the village that caused it to deteriorate so rapidly? Even in the future, he assumed that people would still be living here. But just by looking at the ruins, one could tell that something had befallen it.

"We gotta get you home, kid", the paramedic said. "Give me your address and we'll drive you home".

"I…don't have a home", Itsuki looked at the ground sadly.

"Must be an orphan, then", the paramedic assumed. "Any relative I can take you to, kid?"

"I'll be fine", Itsuki said shakily. "I know the way out of here, sir. I can manage myself".

He nodded his thanks to the paramedic, then headed off into the village. All around him were remnants of what he used to call home. Some structures were even damaged beyond recognition. He felt ill and lonely just looking at them.

I want to get out of here. There's nothing left for me here any longer… 

He went over to the Old Tree to see if the mechanism would still work. To his surprise, the mechanism looked as if it had recently been used. All of the crests were even fastened properly, meaning that the seal on the door had been opened.

"Who could have done this?" he asked out loud. "I don't think any of these modern people know about the sealed dorr that leads out of the village".

He rushed to the staircase and took them two at a time. He just wanted to leave this place because he felt sick already. It was as if something had plagued the village, causing the extinction of its entire population. He pushed open the door to Kureha Shrine and stared in wonder at how dilapidated it had become. The fences had been broken, wooden beams lying around and talismans scattered everywhere. He shivered, and then made his way to the hidden door behind the shrine. Cold air seeped through the open passage.

"Someone did go through here", he observed. "Had one of the villagers managed to escape somehow?"

Ignoring his doubts, he set foot into the passage and began the long walk to the end of the passage, which would lead to the outside world. With a last glance back, he continued on his way.

_Farewell again, my old home. For some reason, I am still here in this world. I don't know how this became possible, but I can no longer stay behind._

As he approached the exit, streams of sunlight came into view. He shielded his eyes from the light, and walked out into the world he had never seen before. But there was no joy in him this time. Just remorse and guilt. He approached a riverbank, sat there…and wept bitterly.


	3. Two: Revelation

cyphre – thanks for the review man: huggles : And yeah, give Itsu-kun that mirror. Lol.

Abyssal Soul – thanks! I know you appreciate weirdness.

Chapter Two: Revelation

As Itsuki wept bitterly, he did not notice the second presence. Someone was there with him, sitting on a bench not far away from where he was. She was also feeling remorseful, as she had also killed the one she loved most. And she chose that moment to glance aside…and saw him.

"…Itsuki?"

Itsuki raised his head to see who had called his name. And that's when he spotted the girl. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Yae…is that you?"

The girl looked down and shook her head sadly.

"If you're not Yae…then who are you?"

Itsuki rose from his kneeling position to take a closer look at the girl who looked so much like his friend.

"My name is Mio Amakura", the girl said softly, wringing her hands in her lap. "I am…a Remaining as well".

Itsuki paused. The girl's face was filled with more sorrow than he could have carried in his own broken heart. Slowly, he walked toward the bench and sat next to her, but not too close.

"I have a feeling you have a lot of questions to ask me", he said. "And I have a lot to ask you as well".

"You were the only kind ghost in the village", Mio suddenly said. "Even though you thought I was Yae, you still helped mei n telling me what to do. But…I lost my sister despite all that".

"Wait", Itsuki held up a finger to silence her. "What are you saying? I don't remember any of those things. I just woke up awhile ago outside the village with a crew of men wearing white. But what I don't understand is why I'm still alive. I mean…I committed suicide by hanging myself".

"I just came from the village since my twin sister Mayu wandered there", Mio said. "Then I learned about the awful past of this village bit by bit as I delved deeper into the unknown".

"Amakura-san, would you care to tell me what happened first?" Itsuki asked, a far-off look in his eyes. "Because when I tried to kill myself, the village was still alive. I mean, the buildings weren't so rundown and…"

"I know what you mean", Mio said, not wanting the young man to have to say anything that would pain him. "Everything was destroyed in The Repentance. According to what I know, you 'died' before The Repentance occurred. Let me explain. When the Kurosawa twins tried to escape, Sae tripped and fell down on purpose, thinking her sister would come back for her. But Yae kept on running, so she alone escaped. Secretly, Sae did not want to escape. She wanted to push through with the ritual so she could be one with Yae. So she tripped on purpose and was caught by the villagers. They discussed what to do with her, and Ryokan came to the conclusion that she be hung and then thrown into the Hellish Abyss to see if she could appease the X by herself. But it failed. Sae's ghost along with that of the last Kusabi came out of the Abyss and destroyed everything. She was the cause of everyone's death, Itsuki. I know how much she means to you, but I swear I'm telling the truth".

Itsuki forced his amethyst eyes to meet Mio's sincere brown ones. He could see himself reflected in them as well as the truthfulness in her words. He bowed his head, staying silent.

"I'm sorry, Itsuki", Mio whispered. "You had to know what happened so you won't be confused. I saw everything through visions. I even had to battle Sae and the Kusabi myself".

"Battle?" Itsuki inquired.

"Yes", Mio nodded. "I found this mystical camera called Camera Obscura in the Osaka House when I first came here. It had the ability to exorcise ghosts, and it was my only weapon against all the abominations in the village".

"I see", Itsuki said. "Let me tell you my side of the story. I thought I died, but when I woke up here in the year 1956, I knew something had happened. Perhaps time in the storehouse warped. Whenever you entered the storehouse, you would be in some kind of dream world. The 'me' you have been seeing is probably the representation of the thoughts trapped in my subconscious. While the rest of the village was in its present state, the real me was suspended in time in the storehouse. And this is how I come to wake in the year 1956 without even aging since I attempted to kill myself around the years 1875 to 1889. I was just there, suspended in time. And time began to flow again when the men in white came to save me because they were able to revive me".

"What are you going to do now, Itsuki?" Mio asked. "Maybe you should find Yae. She's still alive".

Itsuki slowly shook his head.

"I don't want to remember anything about my past anymore. I want to forget everything because it's just going to make me miserable".

Mio felt a bit stung at the young man's words. He wanted to run away from his past by simply trying to forget it. It was the wrong thing to do, but she couldn't bear to tell him yet when he was feeling so miserable.

"Sae was possessing my twin sister", she suddenly said. "Poor Mayu…we had to perform the Crimson Sacrifice as well to save the village. I killed her with my own two hands".

She sniffed as she raised her hands to touch the butterfly mark on her neck.

"At least you were able to make her a butterfly", Itsuki said gently. "I failed my brother twice. Once during the ritual, and the other in helping the twins escape".

Both were silent for a few moments, then Mio stood up.

"I…I have to go home. I don't want to stay here anymore".

"Take me with you:", Itsuki said. "I have no place to go…please…"

That's it for the second chapter! Man, that was long.

Thanks to Emi-chan of Beyond The Camera's Lens because she supplied the timeline in her site.


	4. Three: Grasping For Air

Yay! Chapter 3 up! Sorry for the lateness, as they had my room painted. ;;

Andrew/Aki/cyphre – Thanks for the review, twin! XD

Steven (or white mage) – Glad you like it! Fuzzy feeling? Ooooooh! 3

Kerrianne – Yes, I actually got a few things up my sleeve…

Savannah (or FallenAkaichou) – Thanks for liking the story!

Now, on with the show!

Three: Grasping For Air

Itsuki rolled over to see the sunlight streaming through his bedroom window. He sat up in bed and blinked.

Where am I…? 

Then he remembered all of what Mio told him the other day. He sat still, trying to get used to the unfamiliar modern surroundings in what was now his home. He still wasn't used to the sight of what Mio called ballpens and all those other new things. He finally stood up, and headed for the bathroom. Mio had taught him how to work the shower yesterday, and his first attempt caused him to drench Mio, himself and everything else. But after a few tries, he actually got it right. Stripping off his pajamas, he stepped into the shower and let the water wash away all the dust and grime. As he stood there, memories of his past came flooding back. How he used to play with Mutsuki, Sae and Yae. How he used to take care of Chitose. And how he used to be content being with all of them.

But they're all gone now… 

"Itsuki-kun, are you all right?" Mio called from outside. "You've spent more than half an hour there!"

Itsuki snapped back to reality.

"Ah, gomen nasai", he apologized as he hurried on with his shampoo and soaping.

When he finally finished, Mio was waiting outside for him. She smiled. He smiled back. Rather thinly, but Mio didn't seem to mind or notice.

"Time for breakfast", she said.

Itsuki nodded his assent as he followed Mio down the stairs. In the kitchen, Mio's mother, Shizu Amakura, was sitting at the kitchen table. She smiled at Itsuki, and he returned it, although rather thinly again.

"What would you like for breakfast, Itsuki-kun?" Shizu asked him.

"Anything will do, ma'am", Itsuki replied politely. "I'm not very choosy".

He didn't want to be a burden to the Amakura family, especially since they had willingly taken him in and treated him well. He didn't want to look sad to them, but deep in his heart, he still was. Nothing could heal the fact that the woman he loved before was the cause of the village's death. A chill ran up his spine.

She killed Chitose. She killed her. Sae killed my little sister… 

He was gripping the edge of the table so hard that his palms were starting to ache. He released his grip, trying to relax. He smiled as Shizu set a plate of breakfast in front of him.

"Domo arigato", he said softly as he began to eat.

He was rather distracted by his brooding again. He wasn't the type to easily let go of something. Especially what he had learned from Mio yesterday, since it caused the natural order of his life to go in a totally new direction. His purple orbs were staring blankly into space as he thought more.

"Itsuki-kun?"

Mio's voice broke the silence. Itsuki snapped out of his reverie and he glanced up at her.

"Hai, Mio-chan?"

"Would you consider going to school?" Mio asked him. "You're only fifteen".

"School?" Itsuki looked puzzled. "What is that?"

"It's a place where you learn things you need to know when you're already working", Shizu explained.

"Ah, I used to study at home", Itsuki recalled. "Father said education is a must".

"I'll be willing to pay for you", Shizu said. "I only have Mio's schooling to pay for…since Mayu got lost in the forest".

Shizu looked down. Itsuki shot Mio a questioning look. Her brown eyes bore into his, begging him not to tell. He nodded and placed his hand over his heart, smiling as a sign of his promise.

"I'm sorry, okasan", Mio apologized. "I couldn't find her anymore. Itsuki helped me look for her, but we failed".

Failed… 

Itsuki hated the sound of that word, even though it pertained to nearly everything in his life. He turned his attention back to Mio, feeling sorry for his newfound friend.

_She has to weave a web of lies concerning everything that happened in the village, her sister and myself. I understand since her mother will not believe her if she told the truth…_

He carried his plate to the sink and began to wash it.

"What do you want to do, Itsuki?" Mio asked him. "Maybe I can show you around as I run errands".

"Sure, I'd like that", Itsuki smiled gently. "Just let me finish this".

"No, Itsuki-kun", Shizu stood up. "Let me do that".

"Onegai, Shizu-san", Itsuki smiled. "I don't want to trouble you. At least give me a fair share of the chores so I can be of some help to both you and Mio-chan".

"You're such a sweet young man", Shizu complimented. "Your family must have raised you well".

Itsuki smiled and said nothing.

_Later…_

"You do this everyday, Mio?" Itsuki asked as Mio placed some fruit into her basket.

"Mayu and I used to take turns before", Mio said. "But I guess I have to do it myself now…"

Itsuki immediately wished he did not ask the question, as Mio's eyes saddened. She looked up at him, and smiled.

"No worries, Itsuki. At least I have you for company, so it won't be so lonely".

That seemed to satisfy the young man a bit. He looked around the grocery, awed at the variety of food on display. Things had really gotten more modern since his time. He was seeing the world through new eyes, and it felt rather pleasant.

"Do you like being here, Itsuki?"

Mio's question caught him by surprise. He smiled, after considering his answer.

"It will be a learning experience, you can bet. I'll answer that question when I have sufficient knowledge on what I should do, all right?"

"Sure", Mio smiled back. "I'm glad you're here, Itsuki".

_I'm no Mayu, but at least she enjoys my company. It's the least I can do for the girl who saved me…_

Note: Sorry for the late update! They had my room painted, so I did not have much of a choice. But I'll go back to my regular updating. Thanks for all the lovely reviews, they help me. Feel free to suggest, as I'm open.

CelestialGeisha


	5. Four: Whispers

Thanks to all my reviewers, you guys have no idea how much I appreciate them. Thanks to Kerrianne for the usual review! And thanks to my sister ReiKurosawa and countess kes evenstar for the lovely reviews.

From here on, I will be using rather coarse language when doing conversations between Itsuki and the 'whispers'. Thoughts in italic are Itsuki's, and those in italice but with quotation marks are the whispers.

Four: Whispers

Itsuki was rather nervous. He shifted his weight as he stood at the gates, taking in his strange surroundings. He was not used to studying in a group, but he figured out he would have to get used to it.

"Don't get cold feet, Itsuki-kun".

Mio tried to reassure him as she motioned for him to follow her into the building. She smiled, and he returned it. But his was a wobbly, nervous one.

"It's just school, Itsuki", Mio said. "I know you're not used to it, but most people here are very nice".

The albino still remained uncomfortable as he followed his female companion. He noticed all those strange faces looking at him, thus his thoughts began to wander.

_Is it because of my hair? I think so…or probably the fact that I look as if I had just attended my own funeral._

He snapped back to reality once Mio led him gently to a classroom.

"Just say you're my cousin if anyone asks", the girl said softly. "See you later, Itsuki".

Itsuki bowed politely to the person he knew was his sensei. Mio and Shizu had given him an orientation the previous night concerning what was to be expected when he came to school. He took a seat in the very back as so not to be noticed.

That's when the voice first introduced itself.

"What is the world to you now, idiot?" 

_Who are you?_

"_Guess, Itsuki"._

_I-I don't know…_

"_You stupid little thing. You should have just been left to rot in hell like the rest of those morons. You don't deserve to live, you little twit!"_

_I don't understand. Who are you? Why do you talk to me this way?_

"_Moron…just like the rest of 'em who died"._

…_Wh-what!_

"_You're too fuckin' stupid to understand, Child Of The Taboo"._

_STOP TALKING IN MY HEAD!_

"_Why should I? Not when I'm in control"._

_Yamero…onegai ishimasu…_

"_Kill…rip…tear…murder…incinerate…maim…strangle…scourge…massacre…"_

_Stop…_

"…_decapitate…sin…gouge…torture…shatter…DIE!"_

"NO!"

"Tachibana!"

The teacher rushed to Itsuki as the boy fell to the floor.

"…_looks like I win this time."_

Later… 

Blurs danced before him. The blurs slowly took the form of the glare of the room's fluorescent lamplight as he sat up.

"Ah, you're awake".

The school nurse leaned over him, smiling sympathetically. Itsuki nodded.

What was that horrible voice? 

"Do you suffer from nightmares, dear?"

The nurse's question caught Itsuki by surprise. He shook his head slowly.

"No, ma'am. May I ask why you have asked me such a question?"

"Your teacher brought you here saying you fainted in class after some screaming", the nurse explained. "I think you should see a psychologist, Tachibana-kun".

Itsuki nodded numbly, pretending to understand.

Psychologist? What the hell is that? I should ask Mio or Shizu-san later… 

He stood up and buttoned his polo shirt up. He took his school bag.

"I'll get back to class now, if it's all right".

The nurse nodded understandingly as she held the door open for him. But instead of returning to class, he went outside. He threw down his knapsack and sat at the base of an old tree.

"Tough first day?"

A soccer ball came to rest at his feet. Itsuki saw a pair of hands pick it up. His eyes came to rest on the stranger's face.

It can't be…Mutsuki? 

The guy spinning the soccer ball looked exactly like Mutsuki, only his eyes were a nice blue green instead of a deep purple like Mutsuki Tachibana's.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, kiddo", the new guy grinned. "I'm Hiroshi Yaminaga, a senior".

"Itsuki Tachibana", Itsuki said numbly.

It can't be Mutsuki. Mutsuki is dead, has different eyes and is the same age as I am… 

"You seem to be spacing out, kid", the senior observed. "I assume something is bothering you, but I know it isn't a wise decision to ask. I'll just go and – "

"Do you believe in whispers?" Itsuki suddenly asked.

Hiroshi dropped his soccer ball, and slowly turned to face the younger albino. The grin on his face was replaced by a grave expression.

"You mean, the devil is speaking to you?"

Note: Sorry for the rather rushed chapter. I wanted to update for you guys.

CelestialGeisha


	6. Five: A Moment's Rest

Chapter five, yay! Again, gracias to all my reviewers, you don't know how happy I get when I receive a review. w Thanks for your time!

Pikkarikku - Thanks for the review! I won't make you crazy, I promise.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fatal Frame or its characters, but I DO own Yaminaga Hiroshi and Kyomaru Mai.

Five: A Moment's Rest

Itsuki looked up at his new acquaintance in surprise.

"Devil?"

Hiroshi sat down next to Itsuki and twirled his soccer ball on his index finger a bit before he spoke.

"That's what they say. If you start hearing voices in your head, it's got to be some kind of demon. Not necessarily the Devil, but your own personal demon. Something your past has inflicted upon you".

Ha paused, then smiled ruefully

"Sorry to bother you with all this abomination. I guess I got carried away".

"Wait", Itsuki said. "Please go on, I think you can help me".

Hiroshi stood up, and thought for a moment.

"Meet me after school at this address".

He hurriedly scrawled down something on a piece of paper and handed it to Itsuki before running off. The albino carefully read what had been scribed before placing the paper in his own pocket.

"You actually think you can do something about me. Well, you're dead wrong kid…" 

He chose to ignore it.

_That afternoon… _

Itsuki adjusted the strap of his backpack as he went to the designated rendezvous. It was a perfect place for a serious meeting. There was no one around, and the silence suited his mood.

_I wonder where Yaminaga-kun is… _

Hiroshi's last name popped into the albino's mind. Yaminaga. Yami meaning 'darkness' and naga meaning 'serpent'. It had a certain negative connotation to it, but he was almost sure he could trust this stranger. At the moment, he needed all the help he could get. He felt bad about lying to Mio, but he needed to do this on his own.

_He said exactly five o' clock. But why is he late? Maybe he forgot… _

"Oi, Tachibana-kun!"

Itsuki turned to see Hiroshi approaching him. But he noticed Hiroshi was not alone. Behind him was an attractive brunette with a slender build and brilliant blue eyes. Hiroshi indicated a shady spot under a tree, and the three of them sat there.

"Tachibana-kun, this is my friend, Kyomaru Mai", Hiroshi said. "Mai, this is the new student, Tachibana Itsuki".

"Yoroshiku", Mai smiled at Itsuki.

Itsuki smiled back, enchanted by her startling azure eyes. Hiroshi cleared his throat.

"I brought Mai along since she knows a lot about these things. It happened to her father once".

"Hiro was saying something about you hearing voices in your head", Mai turned to Itsuki. "What kind of voices are they?"

"Voice, actually", Itsuki corrected. "It's only one voice that seems oddly familiar. But I can't seem to register it into my mind. It's like a long-forgotten memory or something along the lines of that".

"Perhaps it has something to do with your past", Hiroshi suggested. "I won't pry into that anymore".

"I'll tell you", Itsuki suddenly said. "I'll tell you everything".

He barely knew these people, but something in him said that he could trust them.

"But you probably won't believe me…"

"Try me", Hiroshi said. "I've heard a lot of things that haven't succeeded in making me fall off my rocker yet".

"I'm not supposed to be here right now", Itsuki began. "I was actually living in the 1800's and not in the present. You see, I was a child born into a cursed village. The twin birthrate there was high, perhaps due to what fate had planned for the village. All God's Village was – "

"Wait, I've heard of that place", Mai's eyes shone. "Isn't that where they were going to build a dam? A geological surveyor went missing there. A few days later, his girlfriend went to look for him. But neither of them returned. Now, please go on, Itsuki-kun. I'm interested".

"All God's Village was built upon the Hellish Abyss", Itsuki went on. "And the Abyss was discovered to be a cause of death for the village if it was not appeased. The only way to appease it is to perform the Crimson Sacrifice. In that ritual, the older twin kills the younger one by strangulation. After that, the body of the dead twin will be tossed into the Abyss. If a crimson butterfly appears, the ritual is a success. If none, then it is a failure and they will have to find a new set of twins".

"What happens if there are no twins to perform the ritual?" Hiroshi asked.

"The Ceremony Master uses a Kusabi", Itsuki explained. "A Kusabi is an outsider. He will be subjected to the Cutting Ritual and must be thrown into the Abyss alive. If he does not survive the Cutting Ritual, he will be a failed Kusabi".

"Interesting", Hiroshi noted. "Back to the subject. How did you get here?"

"I don't understand it much myself", Itsuki admitted. "You see, I tried to commit suicide by hanging myself in my old life. I blamed myself since I failed in the ritual and also failed in helping my friends escape. But I woke up in this time because I was revived by the paramedics. I assume that the storehouse I was trapped in was suspended in time while the rest of the village rotted away. That's why I'm alive".

"You know, I wouldn't have believed you at first, Tachibana", Hiroshi said. "But there is a lot of evidence supporting your story. I've read about the Repentance. You know about that, right?"

"Yes", Itsuki confirmed. "It's what destroyed the village".

"Thanks for telling us your story, Itsuki", Mai said. "I promise I'll do what I can to help you drive out that demon that is causing you such a hard time".

"Count me in", Hiroshi grinned.

But it faded as soon as it came.

"You talked about guilt", he said. "Perhaps the guilt you feel is causing this".

"You're probably right", Itsuki looked down. "But guilt is not that easy to get rid of. I'm sure you know what I mean".

Both Hiroshi and Mai nodded. Guilt was one of the hardest vices to get rid of, especially when you blame everything on yourself. Only a humble person can harbor that much guilt in his or her heart.

"Itsuki, is it a male or female voice?" Mai continued to interrogate the albino.

"Male", Itsuki answered. "Raspy and cold, but vaguely familiar. I may have heard it before but I can't remember where".

Mai thought for a moment. Then she looked up.

"I'll read more on this and tell you what I find out. Itsuki, if anything happens, tell me".

"Hai", Itsuki smiled. "Arigato, Kyomaru-san".

"Please, call me Mai", Mai smiled as she stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow, guys. I have things to do".

"Anou, what year are you in, Mai-chan?" Itsuki asked.

"Same as yours", Mai winked at him. "Ja ne".

Hiroshi chuckled as Mai dashed off.

"I'll tell you the truth", he said. "She's my cousin, that's why she's a lot younger than I am. Her parents are rather strict, so she

has to be home on or before six. I wish she'd come live with me, but uncle won't hear of it. He and auntie want Mai to be their perfect little girl. But she yearns for freedom, and only I can give it to her. Maybe when I graduate and get a job…"

He shook his head, and then smiled ruefully.

"Forgive me, Tachibana. It's just rare that I find someone to talk to about this".

"It's all right", Itsuki grinned. "I don't mind. You actually remind me of my twin brother Mutsuki".

"Really?" Hiroshi asked, smiling. "Then I'll try my best to be a brother to both you and Mai. Well, I have to go myself. Soccer practice. See you tomorrow, Tachibana".

Itsuki waved to his new friend. He felt a lot better now.

_Later…_

"How was your first day, Itsuki?" Shizu asked.

"It went well, thank you", Itsuki smiled. "I made some new friends".

"That's wonderful", Shizu smiled. "I'm glad you're liking school".

Mio was a little quiet. Itsuki didn't meet up with her at dismissal time, and he seemed as happy as a lark for some unknown reason. He was even humming as he was doing the dishes.

_I won't let that voice bother me…for now, at least._


End file.
